MACON, Ga. —
Mya Joyce is 17 years old and she's already checked "published author" off her bucket list.
"People feel afraid to do stuff like this 'cause they don't think they'll be taken seriously, but I did it, and the response I've received is amazing," said Joyce.
She shares the story of her life through her book, hoping to help other teens through their struggles.
"It's called 'Truth Be Told, A Teen Breaks Her Silence.' I talk about bullying, depression, suicide," she said.
Her book starts off at a young age, dealing with substance abuse in her family, being taken by child protective services, and going through the foster care system.
"When I was 3, that's when I got took by Child Protective Services, and I didn't leave Child Protective Services until 6 or 7 months after I was taken," she said.
Now, she lives with her grandparents. She says she decided to tell her story after talking to a family friend who's an author in New York.
"The hard part was reliving all those moments and stuff, so it was easy for me to write, but it was hard for me to think about it all over again," Joyce said.
Once she saw her book selling online, she knew she did the right thing.
"I used to be ashamed of my story, but now, it's just out there, so there's nothing to be ashamed of anymore, so, yeah, I feel free," she said.
Joyce hopes sharing the darkness of her past will help others believe in brighter days. "You never know I could be the person that stops somebody from ending their life because they feel depressed or whatever, so I felt like it was something teenagers needed to hear," Joyce said.
Joyce's book is available online on Amazon for $15.